Australia buoyed by late wickets as Smith reveals Day 2 plan for Lord's
The Australian batter thinks his team is well placed for victory and is banking on early wickets on the second day to help the team's cause.
By Jonathan Healy, at Lord's
Australia batter Steve Smith believes his team is in a strong position after the opening day of the ICC World Test Championship Final against South Africa in London.
The Aussies managed to muster just enough after being sent in to bat first by Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, with Smith arguably the pick of the batters as he compiled a gritty half-century before nicking part-time spinner Aiden Markram to Marco Jansen at first slip.
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After Kagiso Rabada nabbed his 17th five-wicket haul to bundle out Australia, Pat Cummins and Co respond to set up an exciting Day 2.
A fired-up Mitchell Starc helped Australia fight back late as South Africa reached 43/4 at stumps after an action-packed opening day's play and Smith feels his side have the ascendancy due to the late wickets.
"I think we're in a good spot, we've probably had a few missed opportunities with the bat to try and get a bigger total, but I think the wickets offered something all day as we've seen, and we're in a pretty good position," Smith said after play on Wednesday.
"We're in a decent spot, hopefully it does a little bit in the morning like it did today. It could have been a better day, but we're still in a nice position."
Smith and Webster help Australia fight back | Day 1, Session 2 Highlights | WTC25 Final
After South Africa snapped four wickets in the first session, Steve Smith and Beau Webster notch half-centuries to help rebuild the Aussie innings.
Smith looked the best of the Australian players on the opening day at Lord's, with the former No.1 ranked Test batter safely negotiating the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen until he was undone by Markram.
"I'm still trying to fathom how I've done that," a frustrated Smith said when asked if he had any learnings from his innings of 66.
During the course of his half-century at Lord's, Smith also managed to break the record for the most 50-plus scores on English soil by a visiting batter, going past fellow Aussie legend, Alan Border's long-standing record with 18 scores to his name now.
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Marco Jansen juggled thrice but held on in the end to get rid of the dangerous Steve Smith on Day 1 of the World Test Championship 2023-25 Final.
The Aussies will be hoping for some quick wickets when play resumes in North London on Thursday and Smith has his fingers crossed for his side to receive the same type of conditions that South Africa received on the opening day when overcast skies greeted players at Lord's.
Rabada and Jansen took full advantage of the cloudy skies as Ausstralia lost four wickets during the opening session and Australia’s pace trio will be licking their lips in anticipation of similar conditions in the opening session on Thursday.
"When you know you've only got a couple of hours to bowl in the night, you can probably give a little bit more knowing you're going to have a break afterwards," Smith said of Australia's efforts to pick up four wickets prior to stumps.
"The three (Australian quicks) have been great and hopefully they can come again in the morning and make a few early inroads."
While Starc grabbed two scalps, skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood joined the act as well, grabbing a wicket apiece to halt South Africa's charge with the bat.
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